“So we’re planning my birthday” I lied. Mikey tensed underneath me, Gerard was good at seeing through lies and he hated Gerard being disappointed in him.
“Why can’t I help?” Gerard whined. If he had seen my lie, he didn’t show it.
“Gerard, you’ve got art tonight” Mikey pointed out.
“Damn! But..” Gerard began.
“No means no, Gee” Ray said, winking at Mikey.
The six of us were sat in a weird square-circle on beanbags. I had Frank holding my hand whilst I sat on Mikey. This area had been ours since Ray and Gerard had started, four years ago. When me, Frank and Mikey joined the year later it seemed natural to hang out with them. The room was one of our schools ‘relaxation’ rooms. A place to curb the schools reputation for violence. Since we commandeered the area, most kids gave it a wide berth. The six of us were our schools freaks. Between the eldest, Gerard, and the youngest, Me, there were fourteen months.
“So I take it your not gonna be up for drums tonight?” Bob looked at me.
“Shit, no. Sorry. Tomorrow maybe.” Damn Frank.
“Its alright” Bob smiled, glaring at Frank. Sometimes, I’d swear that kid can read minds.
“No serious chemical accidents then?” Gerard asked Mikey.
“Not really. One kid managed to universally indicate themselves though. They went all purple” Mikey smiled at the memory of some prep kid spilling half a bottle of universal indicator on them and their ‘totally expensive vintage skirt miss!”
“Oh, Jesus” Gerard laughed. “The best I’ve had was some kid who head butted a computer screen”
“Er, how” Frank was confused.
“I dunno. He just kinda, head butted it” Gerard raised his eyebrows. Gerard was demoing as the bell went, signalling lesson three.
“Maths!” Ray and Gerard exclaimed sarcastically.
“Dramatic Arts” Mikey teased, sticking his tongue out at his big brother.
“Well you three would.” Ray shook his ‘fro laughing.
“Biology” Bob spat. He hated biology, he was very squeamish.

We split up and the three of us headed off to be ‘creative’. I.e. piss about for an hour.
This lesson we were supposed to deal with a funeral and act out what might happen.
“Wouldn’t it be cool if the corpse got up and danced?” Mikey looked at me.
“What like this?” I said, demonstrating.
“Yeah and then fell back and sort of died?” Frank was getting excited, I could see it.
“Awesome!” As I practised my dance the boys worked out what they were going to say.
“Hey guys?” They looked up from fake praying. “What if I sort of danced in the middle of the audience while you to are praying?”
“Awesome!”

We practised our piece until we were perfect. This was my favourite lesson, for once we were actually sort of good.

“Way, Toro, Iero, you’re next” The three of us had just watched someone literally die on stage. Forgive the pun. But they had forgotten their lines.
“Alexa Toro was a wonderful girl” Mikey began, ignoring several sniggers. “She was a true individual, brave in the face of danger. We are gathered here to remember her life and work.”
It was Franks turn to speak.
“Alexa was the greatest person you could meet” Again with the laughter. “She was honest, respectful and fought for what she believed in” Frank spoke directly to the bullies. “She knew her mind, her greatest ability was to leave a memory wherever she went. Alexa you will be missed” Frank and Mikey bowed their heads, as if in prayer. I raised my body lethargically off the table/coffin. I stood up and began twirling towards the audience. I ran my hand in the air above one girls head before leaning backwards, then turning forwards before finally pulling myself backwards. I leant again, gasped, and mock died on the floor.

I waited three agonising seconds before the crowd clapped.
“Well done, very original you three.” The teacher smiled at us. “Excellent dancing, Alexa. However, more talking, boys. I'm talking to you, Michael. Class any comments?”
Several raised hands.
“Lisa?”
“Erm, what was with the dance?” She looked at me, venom in her eyes.
“It was meant to represent me crossing over into the afterlife” I replied coldly.
Several hands lowered, I had obviously answered their question.
“Mark?”
“Why did you tell a whole bunch of lies, Frank?” Mark had a mocking smile on his lips.
“I never lied, Mark” Frank was trying to keep himself in check.
“You did, you said Alexa was great. She isn’t”
“Shut the fuck up, Mark” Mikeys response shocked me.
“Way! Language!” Miss Steinbeck looked appalled. “Tucker, detention. They had a very original piece.”
I heard a few hollow laughs.

After we had watched the remaining pieces, we were free for lunch. As we were leaving Lisa barged into me and her, Mark and a few others began following us.
“Alexa marry me!” one mocked.
“Alexa, oh your so perfect” another jeered.
“Alexa, oh Alexa, you’re the weirdest freak ever.” Lisa simpered.
“Frank fuck me!” Mark imitated Mikeys voice cruelly.

The real Frank was trying his hardest not to turn around a punch them.
“Breathe Frank” I whispered. “Calm, cool.”
Admittedly it was hard. Other jeers hard started up.
“Homo!”
“Freaks”
“Whore! Oh wait. Whores are normally remotely pretty” Lisa prodded me in the back with her acrylic nails.
“Mikey, Mikey, go kill yourself” Mark laughed.
Extremely unluckily for him, Gerard was exiting his classroom at that exact second.

“What did you just say to my brother?” Gerard expertly pinned Mark against the wall.
“To go die because he’s a pathetic homo. Like his brother”
“Listen here, Mark Tucker.” Gerard slammed his back into the wall. “You ever come near Mikey, ever, and I will shove your head so far up your ass you will burn in your own stomach acid”
Mark looked blank.
“Mark, we all know you’re in denial about being gay. But you can’t touch my brother, and you wont fuck my friends” Gerard hissed.
Mark blushed but nodded.
“Okay, I never, ever, want to hear you trash talk any of my friends, or my brother, ever again.” He tightened his grip on Mark. “Got it?”
Mark nodded and Gerard set him down.
“Good. Now carry on walking before I tear you another ass hole.”